“At Tesla Motors, we depend on everybody to be as creative and productive as possible,” says Paul Lomangino, the Engineering Tools Director at Tesla Motors. That emphasis on creativity is part of what’s made the Model S a shining example of American industrial design – but, as much fun as it is to be creative, the word “productive” also plays
Batteries do not age gracefully. The lithium ions that power portable electronics cause lingering structural damage with each cycle of charge and discharge, making devices from smartphones to tablets tick toward zero faster and faster over time. To stop or slow this steady degradation, scientists must track and tweak the imperfect chemistry of lithium-ion batteries with nanoscale precision. In two
Amid all the supercars unveiled at this year’s Geneva show was a gigantic 5100-pound, 912-hp AWD, four-seat gullwing EV hailing from the pocket country of Liechtenstein. It promised a 0-62-mph time of 2.8 seconds and a range of up to 372 miles, which sounded too good to be true — especially when described by its zoot-suited, architecturally coiffed chief of
I drove, and reported on, the Honda Accord Hybrid a few weeks ago. It was quickly followed as a test car by a Honda Accord Plug-In Hybrid. Which made for an excellent opportunity comparison, as follows. If you’re not a hybrid enthusiast, your first question is likely “What’s a plug-in hybrid?” Followed by “What are the advantages and disadvantages?” A
The AAA announced its Automobile Club of Southern California Automotive Research Center chose the Tesla S P85 as its top-scoring green car pick this year. The Palo Alto-based automaker’s car is featured with more than 80 other green vehicles in the latest AAA Green Car Guide. The top-scoring and best value green vehicles were revealed May 28 at the motor
Liberty Electric Cars has built the first test mule of its electric light commercial vehicle project. Green Automotive Company (GAC) announced its European based subsidiary, Liberty Electric Cars, has successfully completed the build of the first fully functioning example of DELIVER. DELIVER is an electric delivery vehicle funded by the European Commissions’ 7th Framework Program which brings together ten partner
The first wave of electric cars and plug-in hybrids has been largely centered on smaller vehicles, mostly from mass-market brands (Tesla excepted). Four years later, German luxury makers are entering the fray–and the plug-in cars and utility vehicles they sell will markedly expand the offerings on the market. We’ve now been able to tease out the company’s schedule for its first
Aerodynamics are a vital component of automotive efficiency. The more air you have to push out of the way to reach or maintain a certain speed, the more energy you’re using. And the more energy you use, the less efficient your journey will be. Tesla Model S owners don’t need aero numbers to confirm their car’s efficiency, but it doesn’t
A new Code of Practice for Low Voltage Direct Current (LVDC) Power Distribution in Buildings will be published by the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) next year. This Code of Practice, expected in early 2015, sets out the requirements for the design, specification, selection, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of LVDC power distribution in buildings, including LVDC supplies and
Broadcom Corporation today introduced a new multi-standard smartphone power management unit (PMU) that drives Rezence™ technology into the mainstream while providing compatibility with existing deployed standards. When combined with Broadcom’s WICED™ (Wireless Internet Connectivity for Embedded Devices) Smart family of SoCs and software for the charging pad, manufacturers can now build complete and broadly compatible end-to-end wireless charging solutions. Broadcom’s